Child&#39;s vehicle



CHARLES M. ItC'CORMIGK, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO JOHN A. FEST AND ONE-TRIER@ TO JAMES TRUMAN, BOTH 0F LUEBLO, COLORADO.

CHILDS VEHCLE.

Application filed February 23, 1922.

To all whom t may concer/1i Be it known that l, @Herzens M. McCon- Mroiiy a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Coloradohave invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Childrens Vehicles, of which the following` is a speeltication.

The present invention relates to improvements in childs vehicle, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which is adapted to be propelled by the user in such manner as to bring about not only individual development of the various muscles but also coordination between them and which develops the sense of equilibrium of the user and his ability to maintain his balance and which in general affords a healthy and entertaining form of outdoor exercise and amusement.

Another object is to provide a device. of this character which is of simple and durable construction7 reliable and safe in operation and comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is flexible in operation and completely under the control of the operator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of construction7 combination and arrangement of parts Which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.r reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 .is a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in section. on line 3 3 ef F igure 1;

Figure d is a detail perspective vier.Y cf the crank shaft; and

Figure 5 is a similar view of the brake.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. the numeral 1f() designates generally a longitudinally extendineplatform which may be constructed of Wood and With which a metallic frame 11 is associated. The metallic frame 11 includes a transverse bar 12. longitudinally eX- tending side bars 13 and forwardly converging front bars 14. rlhe transverse bar 12 is Serial No. 538,684.

secured to the rear end of the platform 10, as at 12a and the forwardly converlging.;- front bars 1a are secured to the front of the platform 10y as at 111, and in this manner the metallic frame is organized with the plat form, the platform and metallic frame together thus constitutin` a main frame.

A crank shaft 15 is journaled in a bearing 16 provided therefor on the plat-form and in suitable bearings 17 provided in the side bars 13 of the metallic frame member. The ends of the crank shaft 15 project beyond the side bars 13 of the main frame and to these ends ground Wheels 18 are fixed.

At the forward end ofthe platform 10 a superstructure or auxiliary frame 2() is arranged, the superstructure being secured, as at 21, to the underside of the fornf'ard end of the platform 10 and including; bars 22, 23 and 2li which lie in the vertical plane of the platform, the bar 22 extending forwardly of the platform and the bars 223 and 24 eX tending` rearwardly of the platform and overlyingn the same, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The end of the bar 24; is offset and secured tothe platform7 as at 25.

Y A steering` Wheel 30 is provided and is rotatably journaled in a pair of forks 31, the forks having` a spindle 32 which is rotatably journaled in suitable bearings provided therefor in 'a bracket 3?), the bracket being secured to the bar 2? of the superstructure as shown in Figure 1. sleeve 34e is arranged on the spindle 3Q between the bearings of the bracket and beyond the uppermost bea-ring of the bracket a steerinlgg` wheel fixed to the spindle and provided 'With a. hub 36 engageable with the uppermost bearing of the bracket.

Propulsion means is provided and includes a pair of foot plates 4.0 and 41. The foot plates having depending from their rear ends crank hangers, designated at 4t2 and 43, the crank hangers havingn bearings all and A15 therein which rotatably embrace the cranks and 15'" of the crank .shaft 15. These cranks are of opposite throrva that is they are spaced angularl a distance of 18()O from each other. their forward ends the foot plates 4:0 and ll. have attaching' brack ets designated at 11.6 and 41T respectively by means of which they are pivotally connected to one end of links indicated at 48. These links are pivotally supported upon a cross head 50 secured to a standard 51 Which is pivotally supported upon the platform l()V and having integral therewith braking shoes 5G Which are adapted to be brought into frictional engagement with braking' disks 57 secured to the crank shaft l5 at the opposite sides of the hearing` '16. Vlhe carrier 55 has also integral therewith and rigidly secured therewith an operating' arm 58v Which extends up through a slot provided therefor in the platform and which is adapted te he engaged by the foot of the operator for ac tuating the brake. Al fiat spring,` 59 is secured to the underside of the platform and engages the arm 58 to normally swing the carrier yto such'position that the brake shoe will he resiliently held out of engagement with the disk 57. i

When the device is being erator that is the person usinzg` the toy, stands'upon the foot plates el() and l-jl with one foot resting upon the foot plate Ll() and theother foot resting upon the foot plate i-'1. The' operator grasps the steering' wheel l5 and steadies himself aswell :is steers the vehicle in this manner. rlfhen by shifting the 'Weight and using the muscles of the 1 legs and body as Well as of the arms, the

operator imparts alternatev operative morements to the crank l5a and 15b of .the crank shafts'through the medium ef the foot plates ll() and 41 and the crank hangers yl2 and 4:3. The foot plates being pivotally connected to the links Which in turn are pivotally connected tov the cross head are free to partake of the necessary movement to bring' about the'rotation of the crank shaft. The rotation. ef the crank shaft is in turn conimunicated to the Wheels which are lined to the ends thereof, and this causes the vehicle to he advanced 0r progressed at the required speed.

ylf'claim: f

gli, lira. device of the character described, a' platform, a frame connected with said platform, aicrank shaft, bea-rings for said crank shaft arranged on said platform and said frame, ground Wheels fixed to said utilized, the op? crank shaft, said crank sh aft ha ing cranizs ef opposite throw, a supers rueture secured to said platform, a bracket arranged upon said superstructure, a steering Wheel rotatably supperted on said bracket, and propel? ing means including a pair of foot plates, a crank `hanger carried by each of said footplates and having' a liiearing rotatably engagingone of the cranks of the crank shaft, a standard secured at its lower end to the platform and at its upper end to the superstructure, a cross head carried hy said standard and links pivotally supported upon said cross head and pivotally connected to said foot plates. l

2. ln a device of the character described, longitudinally extending platform, a metallic frame having a transverse har secured intermediate its ends to therear of said platform, side hars extending parallel to the platform, and forwardly converging front hars secured at their forvvardends to said platform, a crank shaft hearings yfor saidV crank shaft arranged on said platform and in the side yhars of said metallic frame, said` crank shaft having ends projecting heyond said side bars, ground Wheels fixed to the endsof said crank shaft, a superstructure secured to the platform andoverlyingV the same, a bracket'supported upon :the superstructure, a steering Wheel rotatably suliported en the bracket andV propulsion ineens ceoperable with the crank shaft and including a pair of foot plateau` standard secured at its louer end to the platform; and at the upper end te the superstructure, cross head carried by the standard, and links pivotally supported upon thecross head and pivotally connected to said foot Plates. i Y

3. ln a device of the `character vdescriheth a main frame, a shaft retatally ineunted on the frame` ground Wheels iled io vthe shaft, a superstriicture' secured to the frame and 'overlying the saine` and. A propulsion means for the shaft including apair of footplates operatively.connected Withthe shaft, astandard secured' at'its loiver end to the frame and at its upper end` te the super structure1 a cross Vhead carried hy the standard and links'prvo ally supported upon ythe crees head and pitotally connected .te the platese le e 

